Jamaica’s U-18 athletes, U-21 netballers praised for performance at world tournaments
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, has congratulated the nation’s junior athletes and netballers for their performance in the just concluded world tournaments in which they competed.
Grange said they represented Jamaica well in the World Under-18 Championship in Kenya and in the World Junior Netball Championship in Botswana.
“Never mind their placings in the competitions, they proved once more Jamaica’s abilities not just at the senior level but at the junior level in sports and we are proud of them,” the minister said in a release from her ministry today.
She expressed that it should also be remembered that the Jamaica team in Kenya faced many challenges including injury.
“Look at De’Jour Russell who won the 110m hurdles in 13.04, a new personal best time and in so doing broke meet record twice. Look at Britany Anderson, a 16-year-old, who won the girls’100m hurdles gold in a time of 12.72, the fastest ever run by an Uunder-18; look at Kevona Davis, the 15-year-old who managed to win the 100m bronze medal after suffering a hamstring injury during the race; and Antonio Watson won the gold in the boys’ 400m in a whopping personal best time of 46.59.
“That performance placed them 7th from more than 50 countries.”
Grange said the “Young Sunshine Girls” though slipping to fifth place for the first time in a long time, performed creditably in their place play-off game against Scotland with team member Shimona Nelson voted Most Valuable Player for that game.
“Our youngsters once again held Jamaica’s sport flag high on the international stage and so we must recognise them not just as up and coming stars but as ambassadors for our nation.”